Condensate control system



Oct. 5, 1943.

L. A. HOCH CONDENSATE CONTROL SYSTEM- Filed Ma ,17, 1941 LAMBERT A HOCH Patented Oct. 5,1943 I I throughoutthe-specification.landclaims conosriserkvq l cnisesam apatite A; r'r e l, Sioux rnia'sinan.

a a a .{T animate/Ma .1 7, 1941, slimline. assists invention relates' e-to a cendensa'te control system whichii's adapted control the amount of steam to be admitted to a-s'team heating system or toany processingi pliancebymeans of theamount of condensate, .whetherby'weightor volume. The condensate- 1s caused: to" accumulate or remain in a sp'ecial receiver in' orcler toactuate auxiliary devices which govern -the "admissionof' steam to the heating system crprocessing appl'iances. r l. A further :feature resides in thek devicemused in carrying out my process whichz-isplacedin the opening f'li with the accumulator receiverfcom= p rtm'entrzg I i The restrictingchamber 3 is connected :to the condensate-return line I I on the'sideopposi te" the I inl'etijcontrol'led by the condensate regulating van/e 5. =In this condensate discharge outlet I I', Y i

' .ispl'aced-anadjustable 'restrictor valvea b which may beadjustetiktoaaifixedj'pcsition airloopi system that regulates themdischargerateaof the condensate and therebyrcause's to lee-retained in the special .-receivercfor; the; actuationoi aurgiliarls z steam control devices, a all: condensateithat" strietoraatany giveninstant. 1 1 a t isafeature to) provide ga clual compartment receiver. in carrying. outm-yameth on of whi h compartments is the accumulatprreceiver and t ecth rt e res rict n cham r; a

.fli tmor clea l d fi e-zn tmethcd ifhateused aseries of. diagrammaticill strations ,whichl I believe will he lhelpfu 1n f ollmivingxthe steps; of m method. I a t a he a s e orthrtcse her w the etailsand ,objects;[ will be xnore fully n-thezdrawinei rmmsa par cf th cation:

"' 1 Figu this aciae ammatic; illustration? o f rr y condensate control; showinethe eccmnuiator .5167 f ceiver'; and restricting chamber; Whichcoperates by volume of:uthecondensaaite;Etcgcther.wwith;the f cccperatingiparts; andzauxi-liarycontnols. i

arisuregz he illustrationsshhwingwthe f accumulator receiver L andqrestticting chamberg. in

an alternative form, where-the controlmay be governed biynthe "weight ofi'the: condensate.i.

control: :A used. in. carrying out o my a method consists of a an; 1 accumulator receiversz, p; and. a

restricting chamber 3 @which form a dual sco'mpartmentireceiver with a removable coverf l'fl;

the :two vcornpeurtm-ents :beingnccnnectcd at the top by :the passageway :15 for air- 'or 'vapor and in excess :of that which ;='c,an pass throughsthe redefined a t v .t a inzFigure'lby the spnng bellows '21 which tends Lil;

l ccnnects th'e'restrictedrchamber an at 'the topito thecondensate retum'passageHi beyond the restricter. A 'by-pas's "1 with a stop-valve acon nects' the accumulator receiver at'the' bottom: to the 'condensate return 1ine"below:the "restrictor;

The res'tricto-r valve 16 and h y-pass stop"va1ve ',;8

maybe operated manually"or automaticallyfrom auxiliary, controls, not illustrated in"Figuresgl andfjzp t y it j V r I havewillustratetr diagrammatically i in Figure lu-wires i l-6- and l1t-leadingrtrom the mercury I switch l'srwhich is iocatedi on I the outer It of the condensate control-device A. Themercurygswitch $8 is adaptedto beoperated by thei floatnl 9 wh1ch A 'is l cated in,- the" condensate accumulator chamtheffioatylfl beingpivotedatfllfl and connecte'dftoithe mercury switch= IB so as-to-rock the,

a sarn'etooperate eitherthe:circuitconnected-with v 'the wires' I 6 or the wires I'1.' The 'float l S-i may be-maintainediin a neutral 'positionas illustrated tonormally hold the switch 18 in 'saicl neutral p sition; i 1

!I -he'swit ch l'8 with itsconhectin'g circuitsiand a 'thefloatsl amaybe operated as analternative operating :means' for the condensate control dc I vice EA The electric switch I'Bisillustrated to show? I further alter'nativeform of operaticnan'd it: will be apparent that the control A may :be

operated without this alternative sw' on device as: will behereinafterr'set'forth. l v

When the switch I8 is used with the control A, the electric circuit notil'lustrated, controlled by'the wires lfimay .be' adapted to stcp theadmission of steam-or the generationoffit when this circuit is closed. y when the electric wires connecting jthe circuit 1 T operate to, closethe-bircuit which these-wires control, said circuit willconnected near the bottcm by meansof afloat! which operates the valve "5; for; the passage of condensate from the compartment 2. The 'com-' 4 partment 2 is:the accuinuIator receiver and the inlet 'forwthecondensate trom the heatin'g system or processing appliance leads this compel-t ment. The compartment it i's the restrictingchamber and is: connectedby the an: L or vapor operate to start the admission 1 of steam or the gener'ati'dnof it. 'Thusi'the circuit controlledby the-"wires 16 mayshut off thesteam autoxnatbcally or automaticallyshut off the combustion 1 device" operating to generate steam, and the dircuit controlled 'bYthe Wires-I l may operate to automatically turn on the steam =01 startithef' combustion device '--toa cause-*-the generationof steam I-hus; it Will -be apparent'thatwhen-the Q 7 operation with the use of the float I9 and the switch IS, the condensation from the heating system or processing device enters the accumulator chamber 2 through the pipe I. The condensate is then passed to the restricting chamber 3 through the regulating valve 5 and the condensate then passes through the restrictor valve 6 (if the same is open) to the return pipe H. The return pipe H leads to the steam generator, not illustrated, directly or indirectly through a pump or may be wasted or otherwise used. The by-pass valve 8 is normally closed in the ordinary operation of the condensate controldevice A. When the condensate enters the restricting chamber 3 faster than the restrictor allows it to be. discharged, the regulating valve 5 which is operated by the float 9 automatically closes as soon asthe condensate rises to a predeterminedheight'in the restricting chamber 3. The amount of condensate in the accumulator chamber 2 may then increase.

The auxiliary float l9 operating the switch l8 controls to increase or decrease the amount of steam admitted from the steam generator as hereinbefore set forth. hen the by-pass valve 8 is opened, the operation of the control valves 5 and 5 is nullified.

In the alternative form of my condensate control A, the accumulator receivercompartment 2 is employed with the restricting chamber 3, however, the wall 22 between these chambers is extended to the cover or top "3.50 as to separate these compartments from each other. form I provide an air by-pass 23 extending from the top of the chamber 2 to the top of the chamber 3. In this alternative form of the controller A, shown in Figure 2, I also provide a regulating In this In the operation of my controllers A, when condensate returns from the heating system and/or processing appliance, it collects in the accumulator receiver 2 and allows the air and vapor to pass on through the air or vapor outlet I5 to the restricting chamber 3 and on through the air loop 4 to the return line H beyond the restrictor 3. When the condensate reaches a certain level, it will flow through the water level restricting mechanism 5 to the restricting chamber'3 When the level in the restricting chamber 3 rises to a given point, the valve will shut and prevent the flow from the accumulator 2 to 'the restricting chamber 3. Additional conwhich will in turn operate the steam valve or wires 30 to a similar circuit as the wires I? are adapted to control, and the wires 3| which operate in a similar manner to the control circuit regulated by the wires I6.

Thus the regulator illustrated in Figure 2 operates in all respects like the controller A in Fi ure 1, excepting the controller in Figure 2 may operate by the control mechanism B which is caused to operate by the weight of the condensate rather than by the volume.

Therefore it will be apparent that I have illustrated diagrammatically a means adapted to carry out my method of controlling steam input which consists in using the condensate to control the steam output from a steam generator, or to control the steam input into heating apparatus or processing appliances where steam heat is desired and wherein control of the steam is regulated entirely-by the steam condensate.

combustion device controlling the admission of steam to the heating system and/or processing appliance. ,The water admitted to the restricting chamber may be controllably discharged by the fixed or variable restrictor valve 6. The rate of flow through the restrictor is kept uniform (for practical purposes) by means of the balance line or air loop which equalizes the pressure on each side of the restrictor and by reason of the water levelrestricting mechanism that prevents the water from rising in the restricting chamber and increasing the head on the initial side of the restrictor. Thegreater the area of the discharge port in the restrictor, the faster will be the flow of condensate from the restricting chamber, and thefaster will be the flow from the accumulator to the restricting chamber which will cause the waterlevel in the accumulatorto remain lower and thus to actuate the auxiliary steam control mechanism by means of a float, or some other mechanism to admit more steam. The admission of more steam causes more condensate and when the condensate returns to the accumulator receiver faster than it is discharged, the level will rise and actuate the steam control mech anism to reduce the amount of steam being admitted. Thus'the amount of steam that is admitted to the heating system and/or processing appliance will be determined by the discharge area of the restrictor. The setting of the restrictor may be made manually or automatically by auxiliary control devices above set forth.

The auxiliary steam control devices that are actuated by the amount of water accumulating in the accumulator receiver, whether by weight orvolume, may be of the on-off type so that a predetermined increase'of condensate in the accumulator causes the steam admitting devices to be shut off and to be turned on" again when the condensate has been lessened to a predetermined amount; or the amount of steam admitted may be increased ordecreased gradually according to the amount of the condensate in the accumulator decreasing or increasing.

The by-pass stop valve may be operated manually or automatically by other auxiliary controls. Its function is to allow free drainage of the condensate and thus to allow a continuous flow of steam to the heating system and/or processing device without interference from the restrictor. I

A flexible diaphragm and/or flexible bellows may be connected to the bottom of the accumulator receiver and with an adjustable or fixed counter spring so that the weight of the condensate; in the accumulator'may actuate auxiliary steam control devices through, the diaphragm or flexible bellows thus'installed.

My basic idea is that asthe amount of steam admitted to a heating system or processing appliance for practical purposes maybe measured by the amount of condensate derived therefrom, I

so likewise the amount of steam admitted to a heating system or processing appliancefor practical purposes may be controlled by the amount of condensate derived therefrom.

Secondly, only a given amount of condensate at a-given temperature will pass through an orifice (of a given size) at a given differential ofpressures on each side of the orifices Accordingly, if I control the differential and the orifice size, I'control for practical purposes the amount of condensate that will pass through this orifice.,

lessen the consequent amount of condensate res turn, until the excess has been able to pass through this orifice when the lessenedamount of excess will in turn actuate an auxiliary control to increasethe supply of steamzso as to increase the amount of condensate returning. As

a consequence, by controlling the discharge of sitioned within said accumulator receivergand connected to said switchg said floatfadapted'tof actuate said switch uponzan; increase or decrease of volume of condensate in saidaccumulatorlrei ceiver, and said switch adapted to control the valve means whichregulates the output of live j steam from said steam generator. I r

2. A control for; controlling steam input of live steam to heating units and, appliances from-a steam generator, said controlcomprising an accumulatorjreceiver and a restrictingchamber, a

, float controlled valve means in said restricting chamber, said float controlled valvejconnecting said, accumulator receiver to said restricting j chamber; a switch, afloat positioned within said accumulator receiver, and connected I utogsaid switch,'said' float adapted to actuatesaid switch upon an increase or decrease of] condensate in 3 said accumulator receiver, said float control valve adapted to'regulate the flow of condensate; from said accumulator receiverinto said restrict 7 ing chamber, apassageway leading from said condensate, I control theamount of steam admitted to the heating systemand/or processing device.- V

In accordance'with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of mymethod o1 controlling the input of steam by the condensate therefrom; and'while I have illustrated'certain apparatus in a diagrammatic manner, I desire to have it understood that the same is only illustrative of a meansof'carrying out my method, and that other apparatusand means may be employed without departing'from the spirit of my invention within the scope of the following claims.

Iclaim: 1. A control for controlling the input of live steam to heating units and appliances from a steam generator, said controlcomprising an accumulator'receiver and a restricting chamber, a float controlled' valve means in said restricting chamber, said float controlled valve means adapted to regulate the flowof condensate from said accumulator receiver into said restricting chamber, an air passage connecting said "accumulator to said restricting chamber, a con densate return line leading from said restricting chamber to the steam generator, valve means regulating the flow of condensate from said restricting chamber into said condensatereturnjan air passage connecting said restricting chamber restricting chamberfto the steam generator, valve means for regulating the flow of condensate i to said steam generator from said' restricting chamber, a by-pass leading from said accumula=' tor to said condensate freturn line,v said fby-pass by-passing said valve means,- a restrictorvalve; positioned in said by passadaptedto controlthe flow, of liquid: in said by -pass, and said "switch- 1- j adapted to control the valve means .whichregug I; v V lates the input of" steam itdsaidheatingunits; g

and appliancesffrom said steam generator;

3. In a steam heating system, a control tievic'ef for controlling steam input from a steam gen erator, said control device comprising an' ac;

j cumulator chamber; and arestricting chamber, a e

: float controlled valve means in said restricting chamber, said float controlled valve means connecting the-bottomsof said chambers, said float controlledvalveadapted to open up a decreaseq j, (of condensate in said restricting chamber and to 1 close upon an increase of condensate in said restricting chamber, a condensate return line 'leading from said restricting chamber to thesteam generator, adjustable valve means regulating the I flow of condensate from said restrictingcham- 1 ber into saidcondensate return, anairpassageway connecting said restricting chamber toisaid.- condensate return, anair'passageway connecting the top ends of said chambers; a mercury. switch, afloat positioned within said accumulating chamber and connected to said switch,

heating system.

- L r/mnnrnnoom, Q, 

